Minutes of the ordinary meeting

MINUTES of the ORDINARY MEETING of the STONNINGTON CITY COUNCIL held in the COUNCIL CHAMBER, STONNINGTON CITY CENTRE (CORNER GLENFERRIE ROAD & HIGH STREET, MALVERN) on 23 March 2015

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1. Reading of the Reconciliation Statement and Prayer

2. Apologies

3. Adoption and confirmation of minutes of previous meeting(s) in accordance with Section 63 of the Act and Clause 423 of General Local Law 2008 (No 1)

4. Disclosure by Councillors of any conflicts of interest in accordance with Section 79 of the Act¹

5. Questions to Council from Members of the Public

6. Correspondence – (only if related to council business)

7. Questions to Council Officers from Councillors

8. Tabling of Petitions and Joint Letters

9. Notices of Motion

10. Reports of Special and Other Committees

11. Reports by Delegates

12. General Business

13. Other General Business

14. Urgent Business

15. Confidential Business

Fabienne Thewlis, Manager Governance & Corporate Support, read the following reconciliation statement:

The Mayor (Cr Sehr) introduced Councillors and the CEO, Warren Roberts, to the meeting. The CEO introduced Council Officers.

2. Apologies

Nil
3. Adoption And Confirmation Of Minutes Of Previous Meeting(S) In Accordance With Section 63 Of The Act And Clause 423 Of General Local Law 2008 (No 1)

4. Disclosure by Councillors of any conflicts of interest in accordance with Section 79 of the Act

Cr Stubbs declared an Indirect Conflict of Interest, Conflict of Duty, in relation to Item 17: Rotary Club of Chadstone East Malvern: Community Grant 2014-2015, as this item is in relation to the Rotary Club of which he is a member.

5. Questions to Council from Members of the Public

The Mayor Cr Sehr, read the following statement:
During Council’s previous Ordinary Meeting no set of questions to Council was received from members of the public.
For tonight’s Ordinary Meeting of Council no set of Questions to Council has been received for response.

6. Correspondence – (only if related to council business)

Cr Ullin tabled the following correspondence:

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  Correspondence in relation to Item 4 – 24 Cambridge Street, Armadale:
  

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  A letter (11.12.14) from residents of Cambridge Street objecting to the revised plans on the grounds of: unacceptable height and bulk of the upper floor extension; streetscape issues; misleading plans in terms of height and front fence; and other issues.
  
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  An email (18.3.15) from residents of Cambridge Street objecting on the grounds of: lack of sympathy with the heritage overlay streetscape; and the setting of a precedent for future development.
  
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  An email (20.3.15) from a resident of Cambridge Street objecting on the grounds of: lack of compliance with Council’s heritage guidelines; and the setting of an unacceptable precedent for future development.
  
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  An email (19.3.15) from residents of Cambridge Street, with previous objections attached, objecting on the grounds of: serious impacts on this streetscape in a heritage area; and the setting of a precedent for future development.
  

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  Correspondence in relation to Item 2 - 67 Elizabeth Street, Malvern:
  

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  A email (20.3.15) from the applicant in support of the development on the grounds of: provision of quality residences for those wishing to downsize from surrounding suburbs.
  
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  An email (13.3.15) from residents of Elizabeth Street objecting to the development.
  

Cr McMorrow tabled the following correspondence:

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  An email (15.3.15) from residents of Milton Parade, objectors to Item 1 - 68 Milton Parade, Malvern, withdrawing their objections after citing revised plans.
  

Cr Koce tabled the following correspondence:

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  A letter asking that Council take steps to address the lack of disability parking at the Melbourne High School South Yarra Sports Centre on the grounds that: it is hired to many community groups and schools; and a wide range of sports are played at the Centre. Cr Koce said he had raised with Council Officers the concern about the lack of disabled parking at Melbourne High School Sports Centre.
  
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  An email (22.3.15) asking Council or Yarra Trams to consider stationing a person at the Route 8 tram terminus to improve safety for school students using the tram and to avoid pedestrian accidents. The email makes a range of suggestions in relation to removing the hazard.
  
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  A letter (16.3.15) from the Toorak Village Residents Action Group Inc. formally objecting to any Yarra Trams proposal that might cause the section of Toorak Road at the intersection of Glenferrie Road to be permanently reduced to a single lane each way. The email makes comments on each one of Yarra Trams’ proposals.
  
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  An email (17.3.15) objecting to Yarra Trams’ proposed discontinuation of the Number 8 tram route on the grounds that Toorak and South Yarra residents will be disadvantaged. The email has a number of attachments in relation to public media comments on the issue of Melbourne transport.
  
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  A letter (16.3.15) from a resident of Chesterfield Avenue, Malvern, opposing Council’s proposed removal of trees in Chesterfield Avenue on the grounds of: Council’s alleged inappropriate maintenance; and impacts that their removal will have on the street’s ambiance and character.
  
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  An email (19.3.15) thanking Council Officers for their input in relation to the safety and amenity issues associated with excessive traffic volumes in Towers Road, Toorak. The email asks that the matter be integrated into work being done to reduce congestion in surrounding streets. Attached was a Towers Road Traffic Engineering Review prepared on behalf of residents.
  

Cr Chandler tabled the following correspondence:

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  A copy of the Towers Road Traffic Engineering Review prepared on behalf of residents by independent traffic engineers.
  
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  A letter (23.3.15) from the President, Chapel Street Precinct Association Inc. thanking Council for its ongoing support of the Chapel Street Precinct and its implementation of the Chapel Street Precinct Masterplan. The letter asks that the implementation timeframe be reduced to four years, 2015-2019, to match the current Chapel Street Precinct 2015-2019 Strategic Plan. Cr Chandler asked that this matter be considered in Council’s Budget deliberations.
  
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  A letter (21.3.15) from a member of the Chapel Street Precinct Association Inc. Management Committee formally inviting the City of Stonnington to join in restoring the heritage-listed facade of 282-284 Chapel Street, Prahran, formally known as the Prahran Arcade, and giving reasons for this request.
  

Cr Stubbs tabled the following correspondence:

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  Correspondence in relation to Item 2 - 67 Elizabeth Street, Malvern:
  

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  Items of correspondence already tabled in relation to Item 2 - 67 Elizabeth Street, Malvern.
  
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  A letter (9.3.15) objecting on the following grounds: the proposed amendments constitute a substantial change in design; adverse impacts on streetscape and local amenity; excessive housing density; inadequate car parking provision; adverse impacts on existing traffic and parking issues; lack of private open space; and the setting of a precedent for future development.
  

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  Correspondence in relation to Permit Application 0151/14 – 76 Serrell Street, Malvern East:
  

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  An email (20.3.15) asking for copies of amended plans and other information.
  
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  An email (4.3.15) expressing concern that, without appropriate legal counsel and representation at the VCAT hearing, the status quo for this development will continue.
  
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  An email (3.3.15) asking that Council seek legal representation by a barrister at the 4 May VCAT hearing.
  

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  An email already tabled in relation to Item 4 – 24 Cambridge Street, Armadale.
  
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  An email (13.3.15) from long time residents of Webster Street expressing the wish to secede from the City of Stonnington on the grounds that their rates are paying for repairs and renovations to old infrastructure, mainly in Prahran, South Yarra and Windsor. The email suggests that the area in which they live should go back to being the City of Malvern.
  
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  Emails (12.2 & 4.3.15) from a City of Stonnington Council Officer and a resident in relation to drainage concerns and aquifers under properties in Leopold Street, Glen Iris.
  
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  An email (16.3.15) objecting to the proposed developments at 82 and 86 Burke Road and a possible future development at 84 Burke Road on the grounds of: overdevelopment; and parking issues. The email asks that the three sites be considered together.
  
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  An email (14.3.15) with an attached photo expressing concern about letters with a strange stamp found in some letterboxes in Clynden Avenue, Malvern East, and their possible relationship to illegal or antisocial activities.
  
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  A letter (7.3.15) from the President, Toorak Village Traders Association Inc., expressing concern at Council’s communications with the Association in relation to special rates which failed to take into account the voluntary nature of members of the association and other factors that can make speedy response to urgent Council requests extremely difficult, and which can cause confusion and concern for Toorak Village traders.
  
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  An email (16.3.15) from a South Yarra trader expressing grave concerns about pedestrian safety at the intersection of Yarra Street and Toorak Road, South Yarra. The email offers a range of possible solutions to the problems at the intersection.
  
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  An email (5.3.15) from a resident of Malvern expressing great concern about cracking in the rendered masonry wall of a residence which may have been caused by 25 ton double trucks driving down a nearby laneway over the past few months in relation to the development at 1226-30 Malvern Road.
  
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  Emails (5 & 6.3.15) with attached photos from a resident of Waverley Road, East Malvern, in relation to ongoing correspondence with Council Officers about footpath damage at 197 Waverley Road, and asking a series of questions about rectification of the damage.
  
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  An email (18.3.15) from a resident of Midlothian Street, Malvern East, registering a complaint about the work at Chadstone Shopping Centre in relation to: excessive weekend noise; and very fine dust from the excavation which is causing allergic reactions, problems with outdoor activities and damage to houses.
  

Cr Sehr tabled the following correspondence:

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  An email (23.3.15) from a former City of Stonnington Councillor asking that, in the proposed renovations to the offices at the Malvern Town Hall, Council expose and restore the ceiling of the original 1888 Malvern Library ceiling. Cr Sehr noted that the CEO, Warren Roberts, has followed up this matter.
  

7. Questions to Council Officers from Councillors